Mobile home park fees in Vermont

Vermont's Mobile Home Parks act (10 V.S.A. Chapter 153) controls park fees: it bans entrance fees, lets the park collect only disclosed charges, and tightly governs the security deposit. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone disputing a specific charge should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Vermont.

What the statute says

Section 6238(a) bans entrance fees: "A prospective leaseholder or other person may not be charged an entrance fee for the privilege of leasing or occupying a mobile home lot," though "a reasonable charge for the fair value of services performed in placing a mobile home on a lot shall not be considered an entrance fee." (Section 6238(b) lets a limited-equity cooperative or nonprofit park owner charge a site-improvement fee, capped at $8,000, only for brand-new sites.)

Section 6236(e)(1) limits all other charges: the lease must state "rental and utility charges and other reasonable incidental service charges, if any," and "no charges other than properly disclosed charges for rent, utilities, or other reasonable incidental services may be imposed or collected."

The security deposit is governed by §6244: the park may retain it only for listed reasons (nonpayment, damage beyond normal wear, unpaid utilities, removal of abandoned property), must "return ... the security deposit with a written statement itemizing any deductions within 14 days," and on a failure "forfeits the right to withhold any portion" — with "double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees" for a willful failure (§6244(e)).

How it works in general

A Vermont park can't charge an entrance fee just for moving in. Beyond rent, it can collect only the charges it actually disclosed in the lease — for utilities and reasonable incidental services — and nothing else. The security deposit has firm rules: the park can keep it only for nonpayment, real damage, unpaid utilities, or removal costs, and it has to return the balance with an itemized statement within 14 days. Missing that deadline forfeits any deduction, and a willful failure doubles the liability and adds attorney fees.

Common scenarios

General examples Vermont park residents commonly encounter:

• A park tries to charge a move-in "entrance fee." Barred (§6238(a)).
• A charge appears that wasn't disclosed in the lease. Only disclosed charges can be collected (§6236(e)(1)).
• A deposit isn't returned. The park must itemize and return it within 14 days or forfeit deductions (double damages if willful) (§6244).

Other authorities that may apply

The Mobile Home Parks act (§§6236, 6238, 6244) governs park fees and the deposit; a resident may recover damages and attorney fees for violations (§6246), and a municipality may add supplemental deposit protections (§6244(g)). The written lease defines the disclosed charges. Federal law can apply in particular situations.